Irony Comes in Many Forms
by Blackcat69
Summary: [REPOSTED] He craved her touch. Short story on my intake in which the Icy Slytherin Prince gets together with the Fiery Gryffindor Redhead. Does not have any spoilers for HP&HBP. Fluff. My first Harry Potter story, so please be nice!


**Irony Comes in Many Forms**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Everything belongs to the creative J.K. Rowling. I am merely borrowing them for a little while, so the can do my evil bidding! Mwaha :)

A/N: This is my first Harry Potter story; I made the pairing a Draco/Ginny one because that is one of the ships that I love. Forgive me if you find some gramatical/spelling errors. This was not checked by by beta, so... This was created to induce warm fuzzies. If you don't like it, then tough, don't read. Irony Comes in Many Forms does not have any spoilers for the sixth HP book. (Since I still haven't found time in my busy schedule to read it yet!) Oh, it first starts out in Draco's POV, then switches to Ginny's POV. They are doing basically the same scenes, but with their own seperate thoughts about the events. Hopefully it won't confuse you too much!

A/N #2: This is a re-posting of the same story. I added the last part, so now it really is a one-shot, as I meant it to be. Thank you for being patient with me, hopefully you like the changes and the additions made.

This story is dedicated to my beloved friend, **_Sun_**. You are the bestest friend a person could ever have. Thank you for being your wonderful self. You help me in more ways than you think. I love you dearly. I hope God blesses you like He did with me, when He made it be that you and I would became friends.

* * *

He craved her touch. 

It was different from the harsh back-slaps his father gave him. It was kind and gentle, similar to his mother's before her unfortunate _fall_. Even though the touches were innocent—well as innocent as one gets when bumping into each other in the crowded Hogwarts hallways—he loved them all the more.

Yes, he loved them. Even with all the _rules_ of being a Malfoy, drilled into his head starting at the tender age of three, he **was** capable of emotions. Although that was the main rule that his father had told him. He was also taught that Malfoys didn't cry, get emotional, and were suppose to hate half-bloods and muggle borns.

He was also expected to join his father—as a Death Eater—after he graduates. He didn't want to, but since when did his feelings matter? He wasn't looking forward to serving the Dark Lord Voldemort, but he didn't really want to serve under Potter either. Though he figures that Potter is better than Voldemort…

Draco was also taught that the Weasley's—although pure-bloods—were muggle-lovers and inferior to those of higher status; with the shabby clothing from their lack of wealth, and the traditional freckles and flaming red-hair, Lucius Malfoy didn't have much respect for them and he instilled that belief into his only heir. Narcissa, a Malfoy by marriage, didn't share her husband's belief that the dirt-poor Weasley's weren't as noble as her family, and tried to contradict what her husband imparted to her son.

With that _Malfoy's-were-better-than-others_ belief, Draco was rather rude and seemingly cold-hearted towards his fellow peers during his first years at Hogwarts. He was actually still as mean to everyone—in his last year at Hogwarts—but one person had gotten under his skin. One of the people his father had taught him that he was sworn to hate, the youngest Weasley.

He didn't know how it happened; he didn't know when it happened; but it did, and that was a problem. Perhaps it was when she had come back from her fifth year. She had miraculously transformed from the awkward, skinny, little red-head—who had the largest crush on Harry Potter—to a beautiful, petite, lusciously curved, red-headed sixteen year-old. By the means of his actions towards her, a person could never figure out that he had fallen for her. He treated her like anyone else, but he didn't tease her as much as he did her brother and the rest of the Golden Trio. He actually avoided her as much as he could.

Except that one day when he couldn't avoid her anymore. It was two months before graduation and the N.E.W.T.'s were already completed. This meant no more late night studying and no more after curfew trips to the kitchens for some coffee to stay awake late into the night. Hermione Granger was expected to have the top marks in most of the classes, while no one expected it to be Draco Malfoy to have the second highest marks in the school.

Pansy Parkinson still followed Draco around like a lost puppy, even though he told her many a time it was over between them. It was this day that Pansy drove him out of his supper in the Great Hall and into the empty library. Well, he thought it was empty; the one person who he didn't want to see was there, obviously trying to get a book from a shelf that was too high for her slight frame.

Draco was considering being a gentlemen and helping her with it, but he wasn't so sure that was a good idea. He should really just turn around and leave before she saw him there. But while he was having his internal battle with himself, he didn't notice that she had already seen him and was studying him like something that interested her. When he realized his thoughts were running away with him, he snapped back to reality to find Ginny Weasley watching him with a smiling face. He expected her to be angry or disgusted that it was him in that library, all alone with her.

Her long, wavy red hair was slightly in her face as her chocolate brown eyes were critical of his demeanor. She was standing in a casual sort of way with her arms crossed over her chest. He had noticed that she wasn't in her school uniform—since it **was** a Friday afternoon—it was understandable; he wasn't in his uniform anymore either. What he did next surprised both of them, he walked over to the shelf she was currently leaning against and plucked the book that she was struggling to reach just moments before. He then handed the petite red-head the book, gave a customary Malfoy smirk, and started out through the library's double doors. But before he could take a couple steps, he felt a tug at his wrist and a question directed at his back.

"Why?"

* * *

Ginny Weasley had grown up with six brothers. She was the youngest and the only female of the whole Weasley clan; and they were a clan, well, it felt like that it to her. They would usually have one of her brother's friends or her friends with them, so it felt even bigger. 

A couple of weeks before her first year, her parents with Harry, Hermione, Ron, the Twins, and herself went to Diagon Alley to obtain new school supplies. Seeing as it was Harry's first time flooing, he had gotten lost and accidentally ended up at Knockturn Alley. Hagrid found him though, and guided him to Flourish and Blotts to where the rest of our family was. Mother had taken the books that he had gotten free from Lockhart and offered to stand in line with them and her other books that she wanted to have autographed.

At the front of the store was the Golden Trio—or as Hogwarts refers to them—talking with a thin blonde boy around their age. She walked up to join them and defended Harry for a malicious comment the boy said. He had merely sneered at her and called her Harry's _little girlfriend_. After a few moments, his father and hers came up and started to talk—rather fight—with each other.

Ginny had later learned that they were the Malfoys, and that her family didn't like them for Lucius thought ill of the Weasleys. She didn't really understand why, but she didn't question her parents about it.

It was later on in her first year that she had an understanding of why they loathed the Malfoys so. At the year's end, she was rescued by Harry in the Chamber of Secrets from the reincarnate of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Who was also known as Voldemort, and who had scathed Ginny emotionally and physically by writing in his diary that had preserved a memory of a younger version of himself.

She was grateful that Harry was the one who had saved her, but she had out-grown that childhood crush she had on him. Now, he was more like a brother to her, not that she needed anymore. She had actually set her sights on someone else during her fifth year. It was the son of the person who had put the diary into her cauldron in the first place, Draco Malfoy.

She had never told her brother or Harry of her crush, since they won't understand. They hated him, like he seemed to hate them; but she had told the one friend that she ever really had, Hermione. Hermione was the only one—other than Harry or her family—who wasn't scared of her after her first year, since they had found out that it was her who had opened the Chamber of Secrets.

Hermione was understanding, she didn't laugh or make a disgusted face about it. She seemed like she genuinely cared. She had given her great advice, not that Ginny would act upon it, but if only Hermione could see the affections that were being returned her way from a certain red-haired boy.

When Hermione first asked Ginny why she liked Draco, Ginny didn't know how to answer her. But now, Ginny had found the solution to the question. It was his eyes. They were the most unusual color, while showing so much more than anyone could ever imagine. Even though he acted mean, bitter, and cold-hearted towards others; if someone looked into the depths of his eyes, they would see something that contradicted every fact about him stated. What she saw was a hurt young man who was suppressed as a child and all he really knew was pain. She thought that his cold and irrational demeanor was a defense mechanism—for him, it was a way to protect himself and a mask for him to hide behind.

She realized that she had fallen in love with him during the train ride to her sixth year at Hogwarts. It was his seventh year—along with the Golden Trio's—and he was going to be graduating in the spring; she was never going to see him anymore in the hallways. While she was thinking of those morbid thoughts, the compartment door suddenly opened. She expected it to be Harry, Hermione, or even Ron, but who it really was surprised her. It was the one person that she had been thinking about.

For a split second, he had a shocked look on his face before he quickly put on his defensive mask. Some strands of his (platinum white-blonde hair) had fallen into his silvery eyes. He quickly pushed them back with a flick of his wrist. He had not had that problem before since he had always gelled his hair back, but in his third year he had stopped gelling it. She didn't know why, but she was very happy of his decision. He looked so much better with it not looking as though his hair was glued to his skull.

While no words were exchanged, she knew that he was going to leave the compartment. He would never stand to share the compartment with the likes of her—a Weasley—whom he claims to loathe. But surprisingly, he didn't leave. In fact, he just closed the sliding door and took a seat across from her, but being closer to the door. She didn't really know why he had decided to sit, but she didn't dwell on the fact as she looked out the window and watched the scenery go by.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him pull out a book and start to read. Who knew that he liked to read books? Most of the boys she knew—mainly her brothers—didn't like to read that much, well, except for Percy, Bill, and Charlie. She didn't know when, but she had fallen asleep sometime during the train ride. She was shaken awake by Draco, who was telling her that they had arrived and she was to change into her robes. He then left the compartment without another word to her.

Two months before graduation, Ginny decided to skip supper and head up to the library to do some homework so she wouldn't have to worry about it during the weekend. She changed out of her uncomfortable school robes and into some nice muggle clothes after her last class, gathered all her needed school supplies, and walked up to the library.

After she had dumped her supplies on a table, she realized that she needed a book on the topmost shelf of one of the bookcases. It was at times like these that she really cursed her small frame. While there were some advantages of being small, she really couldn't see them at moments like these.

She was just about to grab a chair from a nearby table, when she noticed someone standing behind her. She turned around and there was Draco, just standing there, lost in thought. She couldn't help but stare at him. It was several months since the train incident, and he hadn't changed much.

She noticed that he wasn't wearing his school robes anymore either. She really hated him right now for what he was wearing. The black jeans and gray shirt brought out the silver of his eyes; and with his hair slightly in his face, it was really distracting her at the moment. She could see that he was having an internal battle with himself, but over what?

As she was pondering the answer to that, she suddenly noticed that he had moved. He was coming closer to her spot by the bookcase. He reached up, grabbed the book that she was desperately trying to reach moments before, gave her his customary smirk, and turned around on his heel to leave.

This was the second time he accosted her, and he was not going to leave without her getting some answers to his odd behavior around her. Before he could get very far away, she jogged up to him, grabbed his wrist to prevent him from leaving, and asked him the one thing that she had wanted to know since the train ride to Hogwarts at the beginning of the year.

"Why?"

* * *

Draco froze. He didn't know what she wanted him to say. 

"_Well Ginny, even though I was taught to loathe the Weasleys, somehow I had managed to fall madly in love with you."_

If he said that, she would probably high-tail it and run as fast as she could in the other direction. No, he couldn't say that, so what did she want from him? He just wanted to get through the year without any confrontations with her which might accidentally display his feelings for her. But now, since she had cornered him, he had no choice but to either tell the truth or lie. He opted for the later.

Slowly turning around to face the petite red-head, who had to tilt her head back extremely far to look him in the eye, he said, "What do you mean?"

He could tell that she wasn't satisfied with the answer she received, she had obviously expected him to reveal his undying love for her or something. Not that he would of course. Her chocolate eyes flashed as she dropped her hand from his wrist and stood in that casual way again in front of him, studying his eyes.

After several seconds of silence, she said, "You know what I'm talking about. Why are you suddenly so nice to me all of a sudden?"

Hmm, a lie or the truth?

"Well, I thought it would be a distraction for you to be frantically jumping about trying to reach a book from a shelf you obviously can't reach," he said with a sneer.

Perhaps it was the unnerving way in which she was staring into his eyes, that made him want to drop to his knees and tell her everything, but he didn't. He didn't know what to say. Fortunately he didn't have to, or is it unfortunately? Ginny was raising her hand, he thought that she was going to slap him for his insensitive remark; what she actually did was unpredicted. She didn't slap him, but she did place her hand upon his cheek.

He found himself unconsciously closing his eyes and leaning into her touch. This is what he had been craving for a long time, and he wanted more. He wanted to touch her back, to see if he had the same effect that she had on him. He opened his eyes and found her staring back at him with an indefinable emotion in her eyes.

Without another word, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the table on which her school supplies were at. She then started to talk about herself and surprisingly he started to share some information about his life. He told her about his father and what he was expected to do after he graduated in two months. He also told her more things about himself than anyone else ever knew. He trusted her with his inner thoughts and feelings, and that scared the hell out of him.

* * *

Ginny saw Draco tense up. She wondered what was going through his head. Since his board back was facing her, she couldn't see his eyes. After a few moments of silence in which he was most likely debating with himself, he finally turned around and said, "What do you mean?" 

She didn't know if he was just being a smart-ass or playing dumb. She was guessing the later, since he did have the second highest marks in the whole school. She realized that she was still holding his wrist and quickly dropped it. She wasn't really happy with the fact that he would lie to her and fool her into thinking he didn't care for her. She knew he did; his eyes gave it away. She doubted that he knew how expressive they were at times—for if he did—he would create an even tougher mask to hide behind.

She finally said, "You know what I'm talking about. Why are you suddenly so nice to me all of a sudden?" She wanted to add about the time on the train because he most likely forgot. His reply would confirm her thoughts.

"Well, I thought it would be a distraction for you to be frantically jumping about trying to reach a book from a shelf you obviously can't reach," he replied with a sneer on his handsome face. She didn't believe he meant that. He most likely said that just to make her mad at him and slap him or do something similar to that, in which he would most likely stalk off and avoid further interaction with her.

She didn't want to slap him; she wanted to touch him. And low-and-behold, that was what she was doing. She didn't miss the fact that he subconsciously closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. This was probably one of the few kind and gentle touches he ever received. She then wondered what it would be like to kiss him, to feel his gentle lips against hers.

As she was daydreaming, Draco opened his eyes. When she noticed his silver orbs bearing holes into her chocolate ones, she quietly lead him to the table in which she had been planning on doing her homework upon. She then started to tell him everything about herself; her dreams, fears, her family, school work, everything, but her feelings for him.

He then, in turn, started to talk about himself. At first she was surprised that he would open up with her after so little time. She found it relaxing and soothing. This was a much better way to spend her Friday afternoon than doing her homework.

* * *

They ended up talking for half the night, Draco offered to take Ginny down to the kitchens for some food since they were both starving, having missed supper and all. 

It became a ritual for them, every day they would find time in their busy days to go to the library to talk. They always found a secluded corner, since Ginny didn't want to deal with a raging brother. Sometimes they would help each other with homework, other times they would talk, and sometimes they would read their books.

Draco would still treat people the way he always did before and they both agreed to keep their budding friendship under wraps. Even when they passed each other in the hallways, they didn't acknowledge each other. But deep within his silvery orbs, she read concern for her when her brother would be overbearing. So although it was never said aloud, they did care for each other.

* * *

Graduation was on the last Thursday of the month. Ginny had agreed to meet with Draco the day before for their last night in the library. Draco was sad that he would have to be leaving Ginny so soon. He regretted not telling her about his feelings two months ago, and he knew that it wouldn't be a good time to say anything now. So as always, he avoided the issue, letting it stew until it became so huge that if he didn't get it out fast, it would burst forth from him. 

It was five minutes until she was to arrive; he was already at the table, idly twisting his hands. He wished that she would hurry. When it was five minutes past, he became worried, she was never late. She always made it a point to arrive five minutes early than be five minutes late.

As he was thinking this, she finally rushed in. He took in her disheveled appearance and silently cursed to himself. Her wavy red-hair was in disarray, and so were her clothes. It looked as if she was making out, but he knew that she didn't have a boyfriend. Still knowing that fact, he got jealous, nonetheless. He wanted to know what low-life had caused _his_ angel such panic.

She quickly sputtered off an excuse, while pulling up the chair next to him. He could tell that she was lying, by the little twitch of her nose. He could always tell when she lied, because her nose would twitch. He could also tell when she wasn't telling the whole truth, for then she would look down at the floor.

He took her hand, pulled her up out of her chair, and sat her down on his lap. At first she looked affronted and was tense in his hold, but soon she relaxed and allowed him to stroke her flaming hair. She rested her head against his shoulder, and then—after feeling warm and comfortable—allowed herself to cry.

Draco was shocked. What could have happened to her that would make her cry? He was more worried about her, then angry at the person who made her like this, so vulnerable and scared. He held her and rocked her in his arms while murmuring nonsense things to her in a low whisper.

After she seemed to be quieting down, he found that she had cried herself to sleep in his arms. He didn't want to disturb her, so he waited until the other people cleared out of the library, before picking her up wedding-style. He carried her up to his Head Boy dormitories. He would have taken her up to the Gryffindor tower, but since he was a Slytherin and didn't know the password, he was stuck. Plus he didn't want to wake her up; she seemed so peaceful sleeping there.

Since he had put her in the wedding-style position, she had shifted in his arms. She had curled into the warmth of his touch; her head moved from his shoulder to the crook of his neck, and her hands subconsciously clenched the material of the front of his robes. Because her head was right under his nose, he could smell the apple shampoo that she used. It suited her; since they both were tart and sweet at the same time.

After he said the password to get into his room, he set her on the bed and pulled the covers up to keep her warm. She moaned from lack of the body heat. He then left to go get some food from the kitchens in case she was hungry from the lack of supper when she woke up. When he got back to the room, he found her awake on the bed.

As he walked through the door the first words that came out of her mouth were, "Where am I?"

"You're in my room," he drawled.

"Oh," she looked down at her hands, and then she looked up and saw what he had in his hands. "You brought food?"

"Yeah, I thought you might be hungry from the lack of supper and all the waterworks." Draco placed the tray on a small round table near the foot of the bed. He then gestured for her to take a seat at one of the chairs. He patiently waited for her to finish eating before he began to question her about what just happened. "If you feel up to it, what happened to make you cry like that? And I didn't even buy that lame excuse that you told me before, so don't even try it with me again, alright?

Ginny nodded. When she didn't speak for awhile, Draco put this finger under her chin and tilted it up so he could see her eyes. He was taken back by the tears that were slowly making their way down her face. He gently wiped them away with his thumb. She smiled at his gentle touch. Even he was surprised at how gentle he was being with her, it must be his love for the littlest Weasley.

When she finally did speak of her ordeal, he was mortified. He wanted to beat the bloke to a bloody pulp. How dare he try that with his Ginny! He held her close after that, just murmuring nonsense to lull her to sleep.

They feel asleep together that night, their last night together in Hogwarts. Nothing happened. All that was exchanged was the sweet murmurs of Draco's whispers to Ginny, and the feeling of security that they both felt and were comforted by.

* * *

Tonight was the last night for Ginny to rendezvous with Draco in the library before he was to graduate. She was so eager to see Draco that she left her dormitory fifteen minutes before their scheduled time to meet. She had even changed out of her school uniform into something comfortable and nice looking. 

As she was quickly walking as fast as her short legs could take her, she was thinking of how much she was going to miss Draco and that she wished she told him her feelings before he left. She resolved right then and there that she was going to tell him before he graduated tomorrow afternoon.

Suddenly she bumped into someone; she looked up and found it to be a Slytherin boy. Of course out of all the students to bump into on the way to the library she meets a Slytherin, how ironic, since she was setting out to meet a Slytherin.

She quickly apologized and made to go around him; he seemed to not want to let her get by. As she looked up at him, he roughly grabbed her by the waist and pushed her to the nearest wall and tried to kiss her. Since having quick wit and six older brothers, she kicked him in the shin and ran off to the library.

When she was at the entrance to the double doors, she looked back and saw that he had not followed her. Completely forgetting about her disheveled appearance from her rough capture, she nearly ran in the room to get to the safety of Draco. She then saw the concerned look pass across his face and the deep worry etched into his silvery eyes. She felt bad that she had caused him so much worry from being late, mainly due to the changing staircases and the creep that had wanted to take advantage of her.

Quickly making up an excuse while taking a seat next to him, she said that her brother had to talk to her about some things and it had went on longer then she had expected. She doubted he believed it—since he had one pale eyebrow raised in speculation—but she didn't want to cause him more worry.

Without warning, Draco took her hand and pulled her up onto his lap. She was tense and upset at first and tried to stay that way—but it felt so good—so she let herself relax. It felt quite nice to be in the comfort and safety of his arms that she let herself go completely; she put her head on his shoulder and cried herself into an unfitful sleep. She had felt him stroking her hair and muttering some nonsense phrases to her before she fell asleep, but she vaguely recalled that he called her his angel.

She didn't really remember what happened after, but somehow she got into Draco's Head Boy dormitory. He must have carried her up here; she wished that she was awake for that. When she woke up, she found the room empty; he must have gotten something…when he got back. She asked, "Where am I?"

He confirmed her suspicions that she was in his room, and of course he had to drawl out that answer. Even though he did become nicer to Ginny, she still believed he kept some of his older habits that he use to have. Such as the infamous Malfoy smirk, and drawling out his answers when he thinks that everyone should already know the answer. It was rather cute, really.

She looked down into his hands and saw that he had a platter of food for her. "You brought food?" She also wanted to add _for me_ at the end, but that would seem too needy in her taste.

He replied while setting down the tray on a small round table, "Yeah, I thought you might be hungry from the lack of supper and all the waterworks." He then gestured for her to take a seat and start eating. After she had eaten her full, he asked her what had caused her to cry and that he didn't buy her excuse from before and wanted to know what really happened. He must know her better than she knew herself, for she can tell when he lies and he apparently can tell when she does. That was endearing and sweet to know, and yet a bit creepy.

Ginny nodded, she wondered how she was going to present this news to him. While she ran different approaches through her head, he gently lifted her head so he could look into her face. She was surprised that she was crying; she didn't even know it until he wiped away her tears.

She felt the dam break; she spilled out the whole ordeal. She was taken back by the flash of rage that quickly flickered in his eyes, he looked almost protective even possessive of her. It brought all kinds of warm fuzzies and butterflies to her stomach. He also didn't seem too happy that it was one of his house mates that nearly assaulted her.

After she told him everything, he held her close, comforting and chasing all her nightmares away. Following that night, she knew that she would never have a nice and restful night after this; because she knew she needed Draco to have that. She felt safe and warm in his arms. She didn't want the morning to come. She didn't want to have to give him up to his father and the Dark Side. She also didn't even get to tell him how she felt.

* * *

After the graduation ceremony, students were to go to bed and wake up bright and early the next morning to leave on the Hogwarts Express. The professors originally were going to send off the students after the ceremony—but to much of the student's dismay—the heavens had opened up like a floodgate. They then decided that for the student's safety, they were going to wait until morning to send the students off to their homes. 

As Draco was putting the last of his belongings in his trunk, he heard a knock on the door. He wondered who it was at this late of hour; he walked over and opened the door. Low and behold, it was Ginny. He was surprised to see her to say the least.

"How did you get through the Head's portrait?" he asked the small red-head who was standing in the doorway.

"Hermione told me the password," said the shivering young woman standing in front of him. Letting his other side through—the one that was reserved for Ginny only—he led her into the room and after shutting the door, ran his hands up and down her bare arms trying to rid her of her goose bumps.

"Nice night-gown. Don't you have anything that isn't so thin?" he asked her with a sneer as he admired the tiny flower patterns on the gown. It really was a pretty garment, just not to be worn when it's freezing and there's a terrible storm outside. It was a sleeveless, v-necked, floor length, flower patterned white gown.

She opened her mouth to say something, but at the same time an extremely loud thunderclap reverberated throughout the skies followed by a bright flash of lightening. Ginny jumped about a foot in the air, and then borrowed herself into Draco's chest. He chuckled after the shock of the deafening and blinding elements had passed, and put his arms around her slight frame.

They were both standing to their full height, and yet she was a head shorter than him, but it didn't bother them. Actually it felt right for Draco; it made him feel even more protective of her.

Draco then led her to his table where he pulled out a chair for her, and proceeded to carry on a conversation with the littlest Weasley. They had to stop several times when the thunderclaps or lightening streaks would get really bad. She even told him why she was so fearful of thunder storms.

Looking over at the clock, they realized that they should probably be getting ready to go to bed, since they had to wake up early in the morning to get on the Hogwarts Express. As he was walking her to the door, he could tell by her posture and the look on her face that she had something else to say to him, but he didn't pressure her about it. When she reached the door, she turned around and put her hand on his cheek like she had done that night in the library two months ago.

He watched her take a deep breath and what she said next astonished him, "I have been meaning to tell you this for a long time, forgive me that it has taken me this long to work up the courage. I love you, Draco Malfoy. The time I realized I did was on the train compartment at the beginning of this year, remember? I had been watching you long before that though. I never believed what everyone said about you, I could tell that here was more underneath that cold exterior that you were afraid to show to the world. And do you know what gave it way, Draco? It was your eyes. Whenever I looked in them I could find the truth, even if it totally contradicted your actions or words. I know that we are leaving tomorrow to go to our separate worlds, so I wanted to say this to you before I lost my chance forever. I am just sorry it had taken me this long to do it."

Draco was stunned, this is not what he expected. When she made a move to walk away, he put his hand on her forearm to keep her there. Then he closed his eyes as he sorted through all the emotions that he felt. He didn't know if he was remorseful or relieved that she had made the first move. He knew that he might not have been able too; he didn't know how to present his emotions. He wasn't taught with that knowledge, he didn't really felt like he was loved by anyone, other than his mother who was not with him anymore.

As he was thinking of these thoughts, he felt Ginny put her arms around his neck and her lips on his. He had dreamed of how she tasted and felt, but it did not come close to how it was in reality. She felt soft and she tasted of cinnamon, which was as fiery as her hair. He kissed her back after he got over the initial shock; when he felt it becoming to heated, he broke it off. Afterwards he leaned his forehead against hers, and whispered, "I love you, Ginny."

* * *

After Ginny got back from the graduation ceremony, she kissed her brother goodnight and told the rest of the Golden Trio that she was going to go for a quick walk before curfew. She found herself wandering around, until her feet just carried her to Draco's door. She had gotten the password for the Head's portrait from Hermione this morning, she knew that she had to tell him of her feelings tonight, before the morning came. 

She knocked on the door and crossed her arms to get warmer. She saw the confused look that momentarily crossed his face, before he covered it up. The first thing he said was how she had gotten through the Head's portrait. She quickly told him that Hermione had given her the password, while she was starting to shiver uncontrollably from the lack of warmth in the castle hallways.

Seeing the concerned look in his silvery eyes, she knew that he was going to show that other side of him that was seemingly only used with her. She felt touched and honored that she had an exclusive look into the real persona of Draco Malfoy. He quickly led her into his room and ran his hands up and down her arms, after he had closed the door. Most likely wanting to get rid of the goose bumps that had resulted from the cold air, but little did he know that he was causing even more goose bumps.

"Nice night gown. Don't you have anything that isn't so thin?" he said sneeringly at her. She knew that he didn't say it with a mean intention, because he seemed to really like her dressing gown. She had been pondering putting on a different night garment, but she really wanted to get away from the blatant show of affections coming from her brother and her best friend.

Just as she was about to tartly reply back to him, the loudest thunderclap and the brightest streak of lightening she had ever seen in her short lifetime had just occurred right outside the window. She literally jumped about a foot in the air from the shock and the fact that she was terrified by thunderstorms; once the shock had passed away, she proceeded to bury herself into Draco's hard, muscled chest that was the result of the many Qudditch practices held every week. He must have thought this funny, since he started to chuckle at her frantic antics to get away from the raging storm outside. He then put his arms around her slight frame.

Now was one of those times when she liked the fact that she was so small. It seemed like she was the perfect height, since she only came up to Draco's chin. It made her feel comforted and safe rather overwhelmed.

Draco then lead her over to a chair at his little round table, and they proceeded to talk for a couple of hours. They had to stop at times when the storm outside was exceptionally bad, and the thunder was most deafening. When she saw Draco looking at the clock, she realized that now would be her last chance to tell of her feelings for him. As they were nearing the doorframe, she knew that it would be most beneficial to say it now.

Subsequent to her lengthy speech, she turned back around and started to turn the door knob when she felt a hand on her forearm. The touch was gentle and it silently beckoned her to turn back around. What she saw when she did wasn't what she expected to see. It nearly broke her heart.

The silvery eyes she loved so much not only for their unique color that was only hereditary and their adversity to lies, were closed with some unknown emotion. What it remorse? Relief? The thing that puzzled her even more was the small tears that were leaking out of the corner of his eyes.

Acting on an impulse, she rose up on her tip-toes, put her arms around his neck, and softly kissed his lips. They were just as soft and gentle as she imaged them to be. She knew in her mind, that she would never tire of these kisses. She would give anything to have them for the rest of her life.

After some moments of inability on Draco's part, he finally snapped to reality and kissed her back. She didn't know that someone—who they say was the _Ice Prince of Slytherin_ or something like that—was capable for such loving and gentle responses to her. He broke it off before it could become anymore heated. Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered the four words she had been longing to hear from him for a long while, "I love you, Ginny."

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Draco did become a Death Eater after he graduated from Hogwarts; he was seemingly the most loyal. But what they didn't know that he was a spy for Dumbledore. He and Snape would gather important information and feed it to Dumbledore. It was because of these two that Harry was able to defeat Voldemort by a secret ambush. All the Death Eaters where taken to Azkaban, except for Draco and Snape. They were recognized by the Ministry of Magic as being spies for the Order of the Phoenix. Lucius got sentenced to life for the murder of his wife, and the attempted murder of his son.

Ginny had become a nurse after she had graduated from Hogwarts. She and Draco kept in touch through letters; and she became apart of the Order to help the cause. The Golden Trio became Aurors and would follow up on the information that was told to them by Death Eater spies.

Six months after the war was officially ended and all the loose ends were tied up; Draco and Ginny got married. Hermione was the (ladies maid) and—not by choice—Ron was the best man. Ginny and Draco went to Paris for their honeymoon, and shortly after they moved into the Malfoy Manor.

Its ironic that these two would fall in love, they were as different as any two things could ever be. He was cold and unyielding; she was warm and loving. Their love was of the truest and most passionate as there ever was, but as they sometimes say…irony does come in many forms.


End file.
